So, I have gotten in to the habit of making "themes" with my jeans. These were to be the jungle jeans, with the cute animal print pockets and a matching colour scheme. But I had some irritations along the way, and by the end I was not very enthusiastic about these. Certainly didn't help that when I pulled them on sans waistband they were way too snug.
But to start from the beginning
I've made the low waisted Gingers a number of times. Always using really hyperstretchy fabrics, borderline jeggings style, and they have always opened up to a horrific gaping waist. I expected this pattern to be the magic fix. I compared the fit of the pattern pieces and they are the same. I made size 4, and based on how much fabric I had bagging up on my legs, I shortened the fit: 1 cm at the rise, 1 cm at the mid-upper thigh, and 1" off the hem.
This is pretty normal stretch denim - it has some stretch, but you aren't going to do yoga in it.
So when I got to that try on phase and I couldn't get the jeans on:
I opened up the side seams another 3/8" which has improved the fit enough that I can get them onto my body, but overall I think they don't have a good butt fit - looks like a bubble butt, and despite the marked pocket location being ok on previous versions these are way too low. I've never had a pair of jeans I put on and thought were actually completely unwearable, so this was really a blow. I guess the ultra-stretchy fabrics I was previously using made a huge difference. It may also be that the snugger fit makes the butt fit look worse. Since before they were loose in that area I think it sat differently.
Excuse some of the colours in the photos, I overexposed them in various ways so you could actually see the jeans.
So, I'm actually going to make another pair of Gingers. The low waisted Gingers. In another very light, stretchy denim. I think if I narrow them towards the waist by shrinking the yoke and removing a wedge from the front waist I might be able to get a better waistband fit. I also noticed when I read through my blog that I did a wide quads and a wide calf adjustment. I'm not sure why I didn't notice these since I had the pattern pieces out - you just slash through the middle of the pattern piece vertically, and spread it open like a fishtail dart. It is probably hard to replicate precisely the same each time since it's not taped into position. They wouldn't have made these jeans a success but I might have fit into them a bit better if I had realised and added that adjustment.
